About Us

Director Profiles

Co-Founder and CEOYuzo Kano

Yuzo Kano is co-founder and CEO of bitFlyer, Inc. Prior to co-founding bitFlyer in January 2014, he worked at Goldman Sachs developing settlement systems, and later as an Equities Derivatives and Convertible Bonds Trader at Goldman Sachs, focusing on market making for institutional investors as well as principal trading and financing for corporations. Yuzo completed his studies at the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo in 2001. Yuzo currently serves as representative director of the Japan Blockchain Association (JBA).

He is a member of the BC System Evaluation Audit Review Committee of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and a member of a committee investigating blockchain technology for the Japanese Bankers Association.

Co-developed miyabi, bitFlyer's original blockchain technology. A patent has been acquired for a part of miyabi's technology; patents for other parts are currently pending.

Yuzo was selected as one of the financial innovators who contributed to the formation of the financial services field at the Sibos international conference in 2016.

Yuzo has traveled to 49 countries in the past and climbed Mount Everest to the base camp.

Co-Founder and CTOTakafumi Komiyama

Takafumi Komiyama is co-founder and CTO of bitFlyer, Inc.

Takafumi has worked at Sony Computer Entertainment, and later joined Goldman Sachs Securities where he worked on the development of settlement systems. As CTO at Time Intermedia he designed dozens of business systems.

Takafumi joined Konami in 1995 after graduating from Waseda University.

Takafumi specializes in cloud technology, cryptographic technology, and mission critical systems. His favorite languages are math and Haskell. His strongest language is C#, and his native language is Perl.

Director and CFOMidori Kanemitsu

Midori Kanemitsu joined bitFlyer as a CFO also managing PR in January 2016; she was appointed as a director in March 2017. Prior to joining bitFlyer, Midori worked at Goldman Sachs Securities Investment Bank Capital Markets headquarters for 10 years.

Midori was in charge of product design in fund procurement using convertible bonds, classified stocks and hybrid securities, etc. Midori executed multiple structure projects, a first for Japan, and was also involved in advisory work on risk management in cross border M&A.

Midori graduated from the Hitotsubashi University School of Economics in 2006.

Her favorite sport is kendo (Japanese fencing) and sumo. Possesses a class I hunting license.

Director (External)So Saito

So Saito was appointed to director at bitFlyer, Inc. in August 2015.

He is an attorney at law in Japan as well as a member of the New York State Bar.

After receiving a degree in law from the University of Tokyo in 1997, he entered Nishimura law firm (currently Nishimura & Asahi LPC). At Nishimura and Asahi, he worked on financial product development, financial regulation, IT, company law, and other areas.

So graduated from New York University Law School (LL.M.) in 2005 and began work at the Debevoise & Plimpton Law Firm in New York.

In 2008 he became a partner at Nishimura Asahi Law Office. In March 2015 he left Nishimura Asahi Law Office, and in April of the same year he established SO Law Office.

Starting in 2013, he became involved in Bitcoin projects and advised a wide range of sales outlets, exchanges, government agencies, self-regulatory bodies, funds, etc. regarding Bitcoin.

Director (External)Nobuaki Chonan

Nobuaki Chonan has been a director at bitFlyer, Inc. since August 2015.

Nobuaki has previously worked at Ohta-Showa audit firm (currently Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC) and was appointed to partner at Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC in 2008. There, he worked mainly on IPO listings, succession of non-listed companies, reorganization of non-listed and listed companies, and financial statement audits. He retired as partner at Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC in July 2015.

Nobuaki passed the second stage CPA examination in 1995 and graduated from Waseda University in 1996 with a degree in commerce.

Nobuaki is a member of the corporate tax group of JICPA. He has also held positions including a role as a member of the tax research committee of JICPA (Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants), a member of a investigative commitee on class shares issued by unlisted companies (run by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), a member of the council relating to the reliability, recovery, and activation measures of emerging markets (first and second group), and a member of a study meeting on crowdfunding investments.

Director (External)Toshiteru Kurokawa

Toshiteru Kurokawa has been a director at bitFlyer, Inc. since March 2017.

Born in 1979, he graduated from Konan High School in Kagoshima Prefecture. In 1999, he followed his interest in the world of the Internet and moved to Tokyo.

Toshiteru was the very first employee hired by a Web marketing company established by former employees of a major advertising agency. He went on to handle a wide range of roles, including sales and system development.

In April 2004, he established Reedex Inc., and assumed the postion of Representative Director. In addition to system development for large enterprises, his company also handles web services, etc.

Executive Officers

COOShuntaro Kogame

Shuntaro Kogame graduated from the Tokyo Gakugei University School of Education in 2011.

Following his graduation, he worked in the corporate sales department of Mizuho Bank for three years.

Internal AuditorAkiko Hori

Akiko Hori graduated from Keio University School of Economics in 2002.

Afterwards, she worked as a controller at Deutsche Securities for five years.

Akiko has also worked for various companies including Coach Japan and Sony.

Overseas Branch Directors

American Branch DirectorHideki Hamada

Hideki Hamada graduated from the School of Law at the University of Tokyo in 2005.

Following graduation, he handled business development and new investments in the IT sector for Mitsui & Co., Ltd. for 11 years.

Hideki obtained an MBA from Harvard University in 2012.

European Branch DirectorRikiya Masuda

Rikiya Masuda graduated from Waseda University School of Political Economics in 2007.

Starting in 2007, he worked for seven years in the corporate sales department of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and a local subsidiary in China.

Rikiya received his MBA from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2016.